Valentino Rossi prepares the sequel

When the VR46 Riders Academy was created in 2013, the stated goal was to develop a sector leading to MotoGP. After setting up a structure in Moto3, the smallest of the categories, in 2014, then in Moto2 in 2017, it was in 2021 that VR46 made its entry into the premier category by joining forces with the Avintia team, holder of two places on the grid until the end of this same season. One of the two Ducatis of the team driven by Luca Marini, half-brother of Valentino Rossi, also wears the VR46 colors; the other, in the hands of Enea Bastianini, sports the traditional Avintia livery.

From 2022 and for a five-year lease, VR46 will fully commit to MotoGP and its two representatives will ride a Ducati for at least three years. “Since 2013, year after year, we have grown, we have managed to write beautiful pages of our sport between Moto3 and Moto2, declared Alessio “Uccio” Salucci, childhood friend of Valentino Rossi and in charge of the Academy, which has revealed numerous transalpine pilots, some of whom are world champions.

Rossi, driver in his own team?

We have crossed paths with many young talents in Italian motorcycle sport whom we have had the privilege of being able to support in their journey and who we will continue to do from the lower categories to MotoGP. This is a key moment in our history that would not have been possible without Carmelo Ezpeleta (CEO of Dorna Sports, promoter of MotoGP, editor’s note), who has always believed in this project, and in Ducati for the trust it has placed in us for the future. »

Associated with Aramco, a major Saudi oil company, the team should obviously keep Marini in its ranks, but the name of the second driver is not yet known. And on this subject, Prince Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al Saud could not be clearer: “In my opinion, it would be fantastic to see Valentino Rossi and his brother Luca racing with the Aramco Racing Team VR46. »

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With a 10th place won with difficulty on his home soil in Italy last May as his best result, many see Rossi hanging up his leathers at the end of the season. Could we, however, witness a final attempt by the nine-time World Champion? " I have not decide yet, confided Rossi about his future at Assen, the circuit on which he last triumphed four years ago. I need to think about it more during the break. I also have to talk about it with Yamaha and the team. We want to try to have better results and better performances and since the start of the season it has not been fantastic in that respect. And I think it will be very difficult for me to race next season as well. The prince keeps pushing me to ride with my team on the Ducati, but for the moment, I think it will be difficult. »

In any case, Jorge Lorenzo, his former rival in the Yamaha clan, is for: “I would like to see him make one last attempt on this Ducati, he said in his debrief of the German Grand Prix on his YouTube channel. This would be an important stimulus. » So, Rossi, driver in his own team? We will still have to wait to find out.